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BOX SCORE
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Notes & quotes courtesy Florida Sports Information
QUOTABLE
Head Coach Todd Golden
Opening statement…
“Obviously happy about a big win today against George Washington, a really solid club, a team that’s played well over the course of the year. Quad 2 game, at this moment. As I told the guys, we’re never going to be disappointed with a 10-point victory. I do think we have a lot that we need to continue to improve upon, a lot in the areas that we say doesn’t require much talent. I feel like we’re trying, but we have not been consistent enough. It’s really important for me and for X [Xaivian Lee] and his teammates over the next couple weeks prior to and through the break before SEC play that we tighten up in those areas.”
On where the team is right now…
“I think the reality is we have a really good club. I think we’re close to being a very good team, but we’re far from that right now. We knew coming into this game that it was going to be a challenge from a mental and physical standpoint after getting back at 5 o’clock in the morning on Wednesday from New York and playing a battle at UConn. I think we did a decent job competing. I think we need to do a better job. I reminded the guys in the locker room after that for us to be the best we can be, we need to be more consistent with our level of physicality and competitiveness over 40 minutes.”
On coming out with things clicking in the second half…
“What’s been the main thing for us is when we’ve guarded well, everything opens up for us. I think that’s what happened at the beginning of the second half. I thought we did a really good job creating turnovers and forcing tough shots around the rim that led to transition. And then, we didn’t settle. We were getting downhill. We were getting dunks. We were getting free throws. To piggyback on [a] question earlier, we’ve got to be willing and able to knock down wide open shots from the perimeter. That’s just a non-negotiable at this level if you want to have a championship-level team, and we have not done that well enough consistently. But we still have a really high floor and ceiling because we’re capable of being a very good defensive team. We’re capable of being physically imposing on the glass, and we should be a better ball-handling team that what we’ve shown to this point.”
Senior G Xaivian Lee
On how good it feels to see his 3-point shot go in…
“Obviously, basketball is about making shots. I’ve tried to let it come, and to do it in a win is nice.”
On his confidence increasing as the shot comes back…
“I always try to keep my confidence high, despite whatever is going on. But it’s been tested the last couple weeks. So just letting it fly, trusting my teammates and whatever happens happens.”
On whether he feels or senses himself with more bounce, more of an air, when the confidence is going…
“Definitely. It’s easier when you’re playing in rhythm to have a little more juice to you. I’ve been trying, honestly, when I haven’t got going, to still try and have a presence or aura about me and track that with my teammates with the energy I have. When the ball is going in, it’s a lot easier to be that way.”
NOTEABLE
- Xaivian Lee’s season-high 24 points led the Gators to the neutral-site victory vs. George Washington. Lee shot 6-for-11 from the field, 4-for-8 from 3-point range, and 8-for-10 from the free throw line, adding six rebounds and four assists.
- Florida used an 11-0 run over the first 2:37 of the second half to break the game open after leading by three, 30-27, at the break. That spurred an extended 24-7 run to push the Gators’ lead to 20 with 12:30 to play.
- Over Lee’s last four games, he is averaging 16.8 points and 5.8 rebounds with 14 assists vs. six turnovers.
- Lee has four games this season with multiple 3-point field goals.
- Thomas Haugh had another strong performance with 19 points and seven rebounds. Haugh has scored at least 16 points in eight of Florida’s 10 games this season.
- Boogie Fland scored all 12 of his points in the second half.
- Alex Condon scored just five points, but tallied nine rebounds and seven assists. Condon has grabbed at least eight rebounds in eight of his nine appearances this season.
- GW marked Florida’s eighth top-100 opponent through its first 10 games this season, the seventh of which has been at a road or neutral site. The Gators had not previously faced eight top-100 opponents in regular-season nonconference action since the 2017-18 season.
- The Gators capped a nonconference travel schedule that took the team nearly 13,000 miles. After playing three of its last 19 games at home dating back to last season, the Gators will get three straight contests in the friendly confines of the O’Dome before the start of SEC play.
- Florida improves to 20-4 all-time in the Orange Bowl Classic, including 2-0 under Todd Golden. The Gators now sit 3-2 in the all-time series vs. George Washington.
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